Bacillus anthracis
- Bacillus anthracis causes anthrax, which is a deadly zoonotic disease, usually transmitted from animals to human hosts under natural condition.
- Made with protein, lipids, and carbohydrate components.
- Though function of the exosporium is unknown, pili must be present to enhance spore attachment.
- Mostly Endospore-forming, remains viable in soil and animals products for decades.
- Gram-positive, spore forming, pathogenic bacterium with a rod shaped morphology.
- Square ended and non-motile; with cells often occurring in long chains.
- Aerobic respiration.
- Exotoxin producing.
- Grows best at 24-40 C.
- Incubation period: 1 to 15 days.
- The bacilli are covered by an anti-phagocytic, polyglutamic capsule that helps to evade host immunity and mediates the early invasive stage of infection.
- Anthrax is not known to be contagious like a common cold or flu.
- Thousands of anthrax spores are required for human infection, all of which can fit in the area of a single pinhead.
.